U.S. President Donald Trump walked back his tariff threat against Canada—at least for the time being. He was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States of America earlier Monday afternoon.

As reported by CBC News, three options are on the table, including a 10% tariff on all exports or an escalating tariff that increases over time. On November 25, 2024, Trump threatened to tariff all Canadian exports at 25%.

In his inaugural address to Congress, Trump only mentioned tariffs in passing, instead focusing on overhauling American trade to “protect American workers and families.” In part, tariffs are part of the president’s economic strategy to usher in “a golden age of America.”

🚨Danielle Smith FIGHTS for all Canadian exports in Washington, D.C.

Premier @ABDanielleSmith fights for all Canadian exports—not just oil and gas. What a difference from the selfish, destructive approach by Justin Trudeau—and other premiers.@EzraLevant is in Washington, D.C.,… pic.twitter.com/WTPMF7GlHL

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) January 20, 2025

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his allied premiers are prepared to impose retaliatory tariffs should Trump proceed. They would levy a surcharge on more than $37 billion worth of American goods.

Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc was encouraged by the absence of tariffs Monday afternoon, and will soon meet with his American counterpart, Howard Lutnick, Trump's incoming commerce secretary.

“Perhaps he’s made the decision to sort of suspend the threat of tariffs, we’ll wait and see,” LeBlanc said. “Our job is to make sure we're ready for every scenario.”

He will continue to lobby America that a tariff war with Canada does not serve its interests. “We think there’s a strong case to be made.”

SHAMEFUL! Trudeau claims Danielle Smith is refusing to 'put Canada first'

'This is a new low for Justin Trudeau…' said @TheMenzoid. 'For him to infer, as he did in that statement, that Danielle Smith is anti-Canadian, that she’s traitorous for speaking up for her… pic.twitter.com/YFKHFnwZAu

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) January 20, 2025

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, the lone dissenter among her colleagues last week, was in Washington to welcome Trump as president. She also welcomed the reprieve.

“He’s given Canada a reprieve and we’ll see how long that lasts,” Smith told the state broadcaster.

“We appreciate the implied acknowledgement that this is a complex and delicate issue,” she added in a statement, “with serious implications for American and Canadian workers, businesses and consumers given the integration of our markets, along with our critical energy and security partnership.”

Smith called on Trudeau and her fellow premiers to drop “further talk of retaliatory measures” for normalized relations once again. The advice follows threats of export tariffs on oil exports from Alberta, which the premier rejected outright.

Danielle Smith says she's "very concerned" by the leadership vacuum created by Trudeau's 'resignation.'

The premier calls for an immediate election so a new leader can engage with the incoming Trump administration as tariffs loom. pic.twitter.com/JkcTCNO9Bs

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) January 13, 2025

Trudeau and the other 12 premiers are considering “every tool in the toolbox” amid threats of economic annexation by President Trump. They agreed that no one region or sector would suffer at the expense of others.

“Avoiding tariffs will save hundreds of thousands of Canadian and American jobs across every sector,” claimed Smith. “As an example, declining to impose U.S. tariffs on Canadian energy preserves the viability of dozens of U.S. refineries and facilities that upgrade Alberta crude, and the jobs of tens of thousands of Americans employed at them.”

Smith called on Ottawa to immediately repeal all federal anti-energy policies, including the production cap, Clean Electricity Regulations, and Impact Assessment Act, as well as fast track pre-approvals for both the Northern Gateway and Energy East pipeline projects.

She also urged all provinces to double down on border security and for the federal government to accelerate NATO spending targets.

“Within the next month,” Smith said, “all border provinces should either by themselves, or in partnership with the federal government, deploy the necessary resources to secure our shared border from illegal drugs and migration.”

“There is no excuse for further delay,” she said about Canada’s defence spending.

Please donate to help us take this message to Ottawa!

We’re taking our digital billboard truck to Toronto, Ottawa, and beyond to inform Canadians about what’s at stake and to challenge the narrative that Alberta isn’t doing its part. Your donation will help us bring this critical message to the streets, showing the facts the mainstream media won’t cover. Support this campaign today and join the fight for a strong Alberta.

Optional email code

Amount

$25

$50

$75

$100

$250

$500

$1,000

$2,500

Other

$

One-time

Monthly

DONATE